Zea mays

Zea mays (sweetcorn / maize) — one of the world's great crops, domesticated in Mexico around 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Grown for sweet, tender cobs in our corn range.

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  • Ornamental Corn Little Jewels seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Ornamental Corn Little Jewels (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Ornamental Corn Seeds Little Jewels Zea Mays Annual
    €4,95

    Little Jewels ornamental corn for decorative displays ornamental corn seeds ‘Little Jewels’ are an annual flower-category favourite for adding bold structure and colour to beds, borders, and seasonal arrangements. This Zea mays ornamental variety is...
  • Sweet Corn Golden Bantam seeds (Zea mays) – organic annual vegetable Sweet Corn Golden Bantam (Zea mays) – organic annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweet Corn Golden Bantam Seeds Zea Mays Organic Annual
    €4,95

    Organic Golden Bantam sweet corn for gardens sweet corn golden bantam seeds are an organic annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want a classic, early sweet corn variety with reliable performance in the kitchen garden....
  • Mini Corn Minipop F1 seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Mini Corn Minipop F1 (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Mini Corn Seeds Zea Mays Annual Minipop F1
    €4,95

    Mini corn seeds for compact edible cobs Mini corn seeds are an annual vegetable option for gardeners who want small, tender corn cobs that are typically picked before the kernels fully develop. This mini sweetcorn...
  • Sweet Corn Dolce Medium Early seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Sweet Corn Dolce Medium Early (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweet Corn Seeds Zea Mays Annual Variety Dolce Medium Early
    €4,95

    Sweet corn seeds for medium early harvests sweet corn seeds are a reliable choice for gardeners looking for a medium early sweet corn with classic, full-sized cobs. This Dolce sweet corn variety is grown as...
  • Sweetcorn Glacial White seeds (Zea mays) – annual Sweetcorn Glacial White (Zea mays) – annual seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweetcorn Seeds Glacial Zea Mays Annual White Variety
    €5,95

    Sweetcorn Glacial for bright white kernels sweetcorn seeds Glacial are an annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want attractive, pale cobs with a clean, white-kernel look. This sweetcorn glacial variety is valued for its uniform...
  • Ornamental Corn Little Jewels Decorative Ears seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Ornamental Corn Little Jewels Decorative Ears (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Ornamental Corn Seeds Little Jewels Zea Mays Annual Decorative Ears
    €3,56€4,45

    Little Jewels ornamental corn for colourful displays ornamental corn seeds ‘Little Jewels’ are an annual garden corn variety grown for its striking, multicolour ornamental maize cobs. This decorative type is valued for vibrant colour combinations...
  • Sweet Corn Glacial White Kernels seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Sweet Corn Glacial White Kernels (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweet Corn Seeds Glacial Zea Mays Annual White Kernels
    €5,95

    Sweet corn with bright white kernels sweet corn seeds ‘Glacial’ are a distinctive annual vegetable choice for gardeners who want attractive, pale cobs with a clean, light appearance. This white kernel sweetcorn stands out in...
  • Sweet Corn Golden Bantam seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Sweet Corn Golden Bantam (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweet Corn Seeds Golden Bantam Zea Mays Annual
    €4,95

    Classic Golden Bantam sweetcorn for sunny gardens sweet corn seeds golden bantam are a traditional choice for home vegetable plots, valued for reliable plants and well-filled cobs when harvested at the right stage. This is...
  • Golden Bantam Sweet Corn seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Golden Bantam Sweet Corn (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Golden Bantam Sweet Corn Seeds Zea Mays Annual
    €4,45

    Golden Bantam sweet corn for sunny gardens golden bantam sweet corn seeds are a classic choice for gardeners who want an early sweet corn variety with traditional, old-fashioned flavor. This annual vegetable is grown for...
  • Popcorn Plomyk seeds (Zea mays) – annual Popcorn Plomyk (Zea mays) – annual seeds from SeedsChoice
    20%
    Popcorn Seeds Plomyk Zea Mays Annual Variety
    €3,96€4,95

    Popcorn variety for classic garden-grown cobs Popcorn seeds ‘Plomyk’ are a dedicated popping corn variety in the vegetable category, grown as an annual crop. This selection of Zea mays is valued for producing firm, well-filled...
  • Sweet Corn Tasty F1 Yellow seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Sweet Corn Tasty F1 Yellow (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweet Corn Tasty Sweet F1 Yellow Seeds Zea Mays Annual
    €5,45

    Sweet, tender harvest for sunny garden beds Sweet corn seeds ‘Tasty Sweet F1’ are an annual corn variety suited to vegetable plots and kitchen gardens where you want reliable, uniform plants. This supersweet corn F1...
  • Sweet Corn Tasty F1 seeds (Zea mays) – annual vegetable Sweet Corn Tasty F1 (Zea mays) – annual vegetable seeds from SeedsChoice
    Sweet Corn Seeds Tasty Sweet F1 Zea Mays Annual
    €5,95

    Sweet corn for sunny kitchen gardens sweet corn seeds ‘Tasty Sweet F1’ are a reliable choice for gardeners looking for a modern supersweet corn F1 hybrid with uniform plants and well-filled cobs. This is an...
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Zea mays — sweetcorn and maize

Zea mays is the botanical name for maize, or sweetcorn, one of the most important crops on earth and a tall, sun-loving annual grass. In the garden it is grown for sweet, tender cobs, part of our corn range within the wider vegetable collection.

History & origin

Maize was domesticated in southern Mexico around 9,000 years ago from a wild grass called teosinte, through one of the most remarkable feats of selection in human history — teosinte looks almost nothing like a modern corn cob. It became the staple grain of the Americas, grown by Indigenous peoples as one of the “Three Sisters” with beans and squash. After 1492 maize spread around the world to become a global crop second to none.

Its name reflects that journey: Zea is an old Greek word for a cereal grass, and mays comes from mahiz, the name used by the Taíno people of the Caribbean.

Botanical characteristics

A tall grass reaching two metres or more, maize is wind-pollinated: pollen falls from the tassels at the top of the plant onto the silks of the cobs below. This is why sweetcorn is always grown in a block rather than a single row, so that the cobs fill evenly. Modern sweetcorn has been bred for high sugar and tenderness, and is best eaten as fresh as possible, before the sugars turn to starch.

Growing Zea mays from seed

Sweetcorn is frost-tender and needs warmth — sow indoors in spring or direct once the soil is warm, and always plant in a block to ensure good pollination. Give it rich soil, full sun and steady water, especially as the cobs swell. Our vegetable sowing calendar and soil guide set you up for sweet, full cobs.

Ready to grow sweetcorn? Browse the varieties or learn the basics first.

Related categories: Corn · All Vegetables · Gourds & Squash · Peas & Beans · Fruiting Veg

At SeedsChoice, every order ships from Meppel, NL with fast, tracked EU delivery.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Zea mays?
It is the botanical name for maize, or sweetcorn, a tall annual grass.

Where does maize originate?
From southern Mexico, domesticated around 9,000 years ago from a wild grass called teosinte.

Why grow sweetcorn in a block?
It is wind-pollinated, so a block lets pollen reach the cobs and fill them evenly.

What does the name mean?
Zea is a Greek word for a cereal grass and mays comes from the Taíno name “mahiz.”

How do I grow it?
Sow in warmth, plant in a block, and give it rich soil, full sun and steady water.